Down to One
by AquaMariposa09
Summary: "Manolo?" He walked closer. His brother would usually be there, strumming out what secrets and longings his heart hid, but he couldn't hear any guitar or Manolo's voice. The rain eased. Now Joaquin could hear better. "Look, Manny, I-" A figure lay on the wet grass. Gold- trimmed black jacket, dark hair, holding a guitar... "Manolo!" (WARNING: SPOILER ALERT) ONE SHOT


_**'Sup, everyone?**_

_**I was thinking the other day... ya know, about Maria's trance? The one Balby puts her in? Well, I thought to myself, "What would it be like for Joaquin, being the only one left 'alive' in the trio?"**_

_**So, here! I'm gonna leave this drabble here. Hope y'all enjoy!**_

(P.S. I really don't remember the dialogue well, so no judging me, please!)

...

"It should have been me."

The rain made the air around the two more damp, more heavy- heavier than Joaquin's heart, and more damp than his thoughts could be. A bitter taste filled Joaquin's mouth as he stared at Manolo, who'd let Maria- the girl of his drams- die.

"It should have been." Joaquin's words came out, as bitter as the taste in his mouth. "_You _should've been bitten by that snake!"

Manolo's head shot up, his gold- brown eyes filled with tears of shock and pain.

Joaquin continued letting his anger getting to him. "Why was it _her _who died?! Why did you not defend her, like you should have?!" He gave a bitter laugh. "You're practically _worthless _to the town now! You've killed our closest friend!"

"What- I-"

Pathetic.

_"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!" _

Silence.

Joaquin stood there, eyes suddenly wide, taking shaky breaths.

Manolo did too, doing the same, but his eyes said two words: _Useless. Betrayed. _Manolo bit his bottom lip, which he did a lot when he was upset. Joaquin saw blood forming at the base of his lip.

Manolo's eyes squeezed shut, tears mixing with the rain, pouring down helplessly on his handsome face.

Joaquin couldn't even say a proper apology. _Be strong, Joaquin. It's what Papa would want._

Not looking over his caped shoulders, Joaquin turned around and left the sorrowful scene, too pity to look at. And too heart- wrenching to think of.

...

"Manolo!"

Joaquin was walking back across the bridge, yelling for his brother. It was close to noon, and Manolo hadn't been seen or heard by the town.

"Look, brother- whoops-" Joaquin sustained balance on a slippery board- "I really didn't mean what I said back there!"

The tree was clouded in mist and rain, and all Joaquin could hear was his own voice and the rain and thunder in the distance.

"Manolo?"

He walked closer. His brother would usually be there, strumming out what secrets and longings his heart hid, but he couldn't hear any guitar or Manolo's voice.

The rain eased. Now Joaquin could hear better. "Look, Manny, I-"

A figure lay on the wet grass. Gold- trimmed black jacket, dark hair, holding a guitar...

_"Manolo!" _Joaquin didn't care if he fell and cracked any of his medals now, he found Manolo.

Just... not how he expected him to be.

Joaquin skidded to a stop, crouching down to look at his brother. Manolo's body hung lifeless. Limp.

Dead.

"No... no, no, no, no, _no, no!" _Joaquin pounded on his friend's chest, hoping to get him to take some breath. _Wake up, just wake up from this horrible nightmare! _

"Wake up, buddy. The town's looking for you!" Joaquin desperatly clutched and shook Manolo's shoulders. "Y-your dad-"

Oh, no. How would Carlos feel about this?

"_Just wake up, brother! Wake up!" _

Silence.

_"I didn't want it to be like this!"_

_It should have been you..._

"It should have been _me! I _would take your place if I could, just _wake! Up!"_

No signs of waking up.

It wasn't a nightmare- it was real.

Manolo was dead.

Joaquin took a shaky breath. "Why... why are you dead, out of anyone else? Oh, I shouldn't have blamed you for Maria's death..."

Joaquin looked at Manolo's cold, pale face. Wait, why...

Why was he.. _smiling?_

"Why are you smiling?" Joaquin sobbed. "I just lost you. And Maria."

He studied Manolo's smile a bit longer. Then, he realized...

"At least you're with Maria. And your mama."

Hesitantly, Joaquin put his brother down beneath the tree. He pulled the cape off his shoulders and draped it over Manolo's lifeless form.

"Rest in peace, my friend."

Joaquin stood over the caped form a little longer. The trio was down to two.

Now, the duo was down to one.


End file.
